The ACT is currently considering legislation that would enshrine animal "sentience" in the law, which means for the first time an Australian jurisdiction will consider animals' feelings as well as their physical wellbeing in animal protection laws, writes Bronwyn Orr.

Mortgage brokers are undertaking a major ad campaign to defend their industry against Kenneth Hayne's recommendations that they lose their commissions, but many of their arguments struggle to stack up.

Telstra's half-year profit slumps 27 per cent and its boss blames the NBN. He wants NBN Co to cut wholesale prices, arguing that telcos cannot afford to keep taking losses on broadband and will soon have to lift internet access prices for customers.

Wealth management giant AMP's full-year profit crumbles by 97 per cent, as it faces the fallout from a range of scandals exposed by the royal commission and shrinks due to the sale of its life insurance business.

Facing close to $750,000 in fines for taking 381 megalitres of water during an embargo, irrigator Anthony Barlow pleads guilty to water offences, but maintains the former water minister told him he could pump water "unless told otherwise".

The Coalitionis facingthe prospect of failing to deliver on centrepiece policies, while independents and minor parties rush to do what they can before Parliament is dissolved ahead of the general election.

What is clear at this juncture is that government policy on asylum seekers is not being driven by national security concerns, but rather by a desire to continue using them as a political wedge, write Mary Crock and Daniel Ghezelbash.

On this issue Labor has always been on the backfoot — it knows it and under Bill Shorten has been shrewd in carefully avoiding being trapped talking about it. But Morrison's government has problems of its own, writes Patricia Karvelas.

The Federal Court hears a staff member for the then-justice minister joined Senator Michaelia Cash's former media advisor in tipping off journalists about the AFP raids on the offices of the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) in October 2017.

Authorities on Christmas Island question the Federal Government's decision to reopen the territory's immigration detention centre, saying it is ill-equipped to deal with asylum seekers sent there in poor health.

Daniel Ricciardo has a warm welcome at his new team Renault ahead of the 2019 F1 season, but the Aussie admits in a podcast interview he is frustrated he couldn't engineer a move to Ferrari or Mercedes.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the Christmas Island immigration centre will reopen, as border protection shapes as a key battleground ahead of this year's federal election. Look back over our live coverage of the day's events.

Legislation which will give doctors more power to decide whether asylum seekers should come to Australia for medical treatment is passed into law by the Senate with the support of Labor, the Greens and four independents.